Chainsaws were originally invented not for cutting wood, but as a medical tool to assist in childbirth. The first chainsaw, created in the late 18th century by Scottish doctors John Aitken and James Jeffray, was designed as a small, flexible saw used to perform symphysiotomy—a procedure to widen the pubic cartilage and pelvic bone—to help deliver babies when the birth canal was obstructed. This early version of the chainsaw, operated by a hand crank, allowed for faster, more precise, and less damaging cuts compared to previous methods, thereby improving safety during childbirth. Over time, the concept evolved and the chainsaw found uses outside medicine, especially in woodworking and logging, eventually becoming the motorized tool known today.
